DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:
 

Development activities of BIWTC

 

 

BIWTC is providing passenger and cargo services in the inland waterways and coastal areas and off-shore islands of the country and also providing ferry services in the major road gaps. The organization is performing its activities with ferry service unit, passenger service unit, cargo service unit and ship repair service unit by operating 194 nos. (as on 20-03-2006) of total vessel.

 

·        The organization has been procured 2 Ro-Ro ferry, 1 coastal passenger vessel and 4 sea-trucks from China under a development project and put them into ferry and coastal passenger services in May, 2002. The 2 Ro-Ro ferries playing significant role for ferrying passenger and vehicles in the Aricha Ferry Sector and thereby connecting the northern and southern region to the eastern region and the capital city Dhaka also. It is possible to provide more round trips by addition of new ferries, which is promoting trade and commerce, employment opportunities etc., thereby also developing the socio-economic circumstances of the country. The addition of 4 Sea-trucks and coastal passenger vessel in the coastal region is very much helpful for the daily traveling of the concerned people. They can involve themselves excessively for their business, education, employment etc. which playing positively to alleviate the poverty,  to develop socio economic situation of the respective area. Besides, for proper maintenance of ferry fleet spare parts, mobile workshop have been procured from Denmark and a store established at Aricha in FY 2002-03 under a development project financed by Danida with a total cost of Tk.779.32 lakhs.  

 

·        With a view to provide better and efficient ferry services in the major road gaps 3 Ro-Ro ferries namely Ro-Ro ferry Shah Ali, Shah Mokhdoom, Shah Jalal have been rehabilitated during the period July, 2002-December,2005 with a total cost of Tk.1338.50 lakhs from BIWTC’s own fund. Two Ro-Ro pontoons have already been rehabilitated in BIWTC’s own dockyard with a total cost of Tk.171.98 lakhs. The above vessels already put into services and they are operating satisfactorily in the Aricha Ferry Sector. Rehabilitation work for Ro-Ro ferry Amanat Shah is now going on in BIWTC’s own Dockyard with an estimated cost of Tk.494.85 lakhs.

 

·        For providing better passenger services for the people of southern region “M.V. Sonargaon”, a passenger steamer from Bangladesh Railway has already been procured. After necessary modification the vessel will put into Dhaka-Khulna Passenger Services. Successively, procurement of another 2 (two) steamers  “M.V. Sohorawardi”  and “M.V. Sher-e-Bangla” from Bangladesh Railway is now under process.

 

·        For operation in the Sadarghat-Ashulia Circular water route, construction of a Water Taxi in BIWTC’s Fibre Glass Factory with a cost of Tk.20.00 lakhs is going on. The implementation of the project will have the positive impact to remove the traffic congestion and also to reduce environment pollution in the capital city. More Water Taxi will be constructed gradually.

·        Initiative has already taken for “Construction/Acquisition  of  2 (Two) Nos. Self Propelled Cellular Container Vessel from BIWTC’S own resources.” with a total cost of Tk.6100.00 lakhs. DPP of the project already submitted to the Ministry of Shipping in this regard. The vessels will be operated for carring containers from the Sea Ports to the Inland Container Port at Dhaka. The project will help to expedite export-import activities of the country.

 

·        The project for “Rehabilitation of 6 Ro-Ro ferries, 2 K-type ferries and 7 Pontoons of BIWTC” (estimated cost: Tk.6634.00 lakhs) and “Rehabilitation of BIWTC’s existing 2 coastal passenger vessels (M.V. Abdul Matin and M.V. Monirul Hoq)” (estimated cost: Tk.2400.00 lakhs) are included in the current ADP i.e. ADP 2005-2006 in the list of new and unapproved projects without allocation. Ferry rehabilitation project is recommended by the Pre-ECNEC held on 13-10-2003 and Coastal Passenger Vessel rehabilitation project is recommended by the PEC held on 19-03-2006.

 

·        In the near future, to meet up the public demand of coastal areas projects for “Construction/Procurement of 4 Nos. Sea-Truck” and also to meet up the growing volume of inland containers another project for “Construction/Procurement of 4 Nos. Container Carriers under GOB Financing” have been taken up. The above two projects have been proposed for inclusion in the Three Year Investment Program (2005-06/2007-08).

 

·        Over and above, with a vision to establish easy road communication between Chittagong and Khulna Division activities/measures have been taken to introduce Bhola-Luxmipur Ferry Services across the river Meghna. The opening of this ferry route will facilitate communication system in between the above 2 division by reducing a good distance and reduce journey time and cost both for the transport owners and the massess. This would also help to avoid unusual traffic congestion and have a positive impact to keep the pollution free environment in the capital city. Project for Establishment of necessary infrastructure and procurement/installation of ferry and pontoons” is now under process.

 

The implementation of the above development projects will be helpful to establish safe easy and better communication in the inland waterways, which will ultimately help to accelerate the economic development of the country and also to implement the present PRSP of the Govt.